


Her Non-Imaginary Friend

by Scribbling Mama (melgibson87)



Series: AU August 2018 [21]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: AU August, AU Yeah AUgust (Miraculous Ladybug), Adrien is cursed, Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Angst, Bad Parent Gabriel Agreste, Childhood Friends, Chloe isn't bad yet, Curse will be explained in part 2, Gabriel Being Gabriel, Gen, Heavy Angst, Mentioned Emilie Agreste, Mentioned Gabriel Agreste, Mentioned Sabrina Raincomprix, Mentioned Tom and Sabine, New Friends, There will be a happy ending in part 2, no happy ending YET, way angstier than i was originally planning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-07-01 02:50:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,195
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15765084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/melgibson87/pseuds/Scribbling%20Mama
Summary: Adrien's first taste of the park doesn't go exactly as planned. A bully comes along and makes fun of his only friend, Chloe, for bringing him (her imaginary friend) which causes him to become invisible to several other kids in the park. He decides to try and stand up for her before his emotions get the better of him.Marinette witnesses the entire thing and does what she can to help, outwitting the bully to protect her classmates and friends. When she finds Adrien, she befriends him, only to have him ripped away from her before she could anything about it. Will she ever see him again?





	Her Non-Imaginary Friend

**Author's Note:**

> Day 21 of AU Yeah August. Childhood Friends AU. 
> 
> This story is going to be a one-shot only. There will be a second part later this month when we get to the Internet AU where these two will indeed get to see each other again. It's in this story where Adrien's curse is also explained further. 
> 
> So, for now, I hope you enjoy this sad, bittersweet story. I promise there will be a happier ending in part 2.

 

"Who did that? Who hit me?" the older bully demanded. His eyes took on the wide-eyed look of a wild bull as he stared down the other children playing around them.

"It was my friend," Chloe cried, her eyes filling with tears. "I told you he was real."

"Shut up, blondie. You know nothing about friends," he hollered, shoving her down as he looked for the one who dared to shove him. "Where are you, you little coward? Come out now. You'll only make it worse for your friends here."

Adrien stood not far from the bully, his little hands clenched at his sides as his eyes threatened to fill with tears. 

"I'm right here," he yelled, causing the bully to turn in his direction yet not see him. Running forward, he pushed the bully to the ground again and made off for the nearby bushes, hoping to hide there before he disappeared for more kids. 

Marinette had been watching the entire interaction, standing near her best friend, Nino, and wondering why some kids couldn't see the blond boy as he fought the bully so bravely. 

As the bully stood up and the blond boy ran into the nearby bushes, making quite the racket as he went, Marinette couldn't stand still any longer, her gaze darting back to her parents as they chatted with a few other parents, unaware of the fight breaking out.

"Nino, come on." She grabbed her friend's hand and pulled him forward. "Let's check on that boy. He might be hurt."

"Are you sure, Nettie? He seemed fine to me." He tugged at her tight grip but soon gave up, knowing his friend wouldn't quit until she'd checked on the other boy. "Fine, let's go. I hope that older kid goes away soon though. He's bad news."

Marinette dared a peek at the boy in question, watching him rise from the ground and stalk toward Chloe and the little redhead girl who'd just moved to Paris. Sabrina was her name, Marinette thought though she couldn't remember at the moment.

"Hey, meanie," Marinette called out, halting the boy's progress. "Leave her alone. You want to fight. Fight me!"

He turned and laughed, a smirk playing across his lips. "Yeah? What's a little bug like you going to do? You're too squishy to fight."

"Oh, yeah?" She'd never been good about backing down from challenges, much to everyone's consternation. Using the few tools she had handy, she soon had a makeshift slingshot and shot a small pebble at the bully. She grinned as he yelled his rage, unmindful of her other setup as he charged forward.

During his charge, she pulled out her yo-yo, smiling as she expertly created a trap for him, ensnaring him in the string until he'd become too tangled to work himself loose.

With him secured, she nodded to the other kids in the area, glancing over Chloe before taking her leave and finding the blond boy. She wanted to make sure he was okay, especially after the mean words that had been hurled at him.

Her hand grabbed at Nino's wrist again and pulled him through the bushes, crashing into a clearing a second later. She caught sight of scuffed shoes before she made out the hunched figure of the blond boy as he huddled next to a tree, his shoulders shaking as he cried into his knees.

She peeked back at Nino, her brows furrowing as she wondered what they should do. 

Nino proved no help as he merely shrugged his shoulders.

Turning back to the blond boy, she inched her way toward him, crouching next to him when she'd gotten close enough to touch him.

"Are you okay?" she whispered, hoping she wouldn't spook him. "You were really brave back there."

"I ran away," he cried. "How is that brave? He couldn't even see me. None of them could besides Chloe. It's not fair."

Her brow furrowed deeper. She tried to think how best to help the blond boy as she watched him continue to cry, his shoulder shaking the only sign of his distress. He didn't cry loud tears like his friend, Chloe, which only made Marinette more inclined to help him. He intrigued her as she moved from a crouch to a seated position beside him.

Her hand reached out and touched his back, running soothing circles over the shaking expanse as she confessed, "I can see you. So can Nino here. We think you're brave. Don't we, Nino?"

"Sure, dude. You took on the school bully. No one I know would do that." Nino still kept his distance though his stance had softened as Marinette glanced at her best friend.

She offered him a smile, thanking him for his input before turning her attention back to the blond, asking, "What's your name? We haven't seen you before. Are you new?"

It took a moment before he raised his head and met her blue gaze with his green one, surprising her. She hadn't seen a green quite like the one coloring his irises. She wondered if she could find that color in her crayon box when she got home. She hoped so because she had every intention of sketching him later, wanting to remember every detail about this intriguing boy she could.

He shook his head as he choked out, "I'm homeschooled. Mama brought me here for fresh air. Papa doesn't know. Please don't tell him. He won't be happy with Mama."

"We won't," she promised, her hand still rubbing circles on his back. "I'm Marinette. That's Nino." She pointed at her friend, smiling when the blond boy dared a peek.

"Adrien," he whispered.

"Would you like to play with us? We were going to ride the carousel." She leaned toward him, her face mere inches from his as she waited for his answer. "It's a lot of fun."

He nodded, the beginnings of a smile lighting up his features. 

"Well, come on then." She stood and held out her hand for him. 

The trio soon moved out of the bushes, making their way toward the carousel. Marinette and Nino slowly coaxed Adrien into talking and even laughing as they made their way across the small park to the carousel. 

They had barely stepped foot on the ride when a large, imposing man came toward them, yanking Adrien from the ride and from them.

Marinette jumped forward to grab at Adrien's hand, only to be stopped by the older man and his deep frown at her.

A blonde woman stood behind the man, her eyes filling with tears as he pulled Adrien from the park, never saying a word to anyone though his cold gaze spoke volumes.

Adrien dared a final glance back at Marinette and Nino, his gaze sad for a moment before going blank.

Marinette cried that night, fearing her new friend had been hurt by that awful man. She'd begged her parents to help her find him, but they hadn't been able to assure her they could help. 

She never forgot Adrien. She swore she never would.

The years would fall away before she got the chance to see him again.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on [Tumblr](http://scribblingmama.tumblr.com)


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